Portable fire-escape



(No Model.) f 2 sheetsr-sheet 1..

J. J. STEUR.

PORTABLE PIRE ESCAPE. n No, 518,633, 'l #Patented Apr. 24, 1894.

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2 Sheets-rSheet 2.

(No ModelJ J. J. STEUR. PURTABLE FIRE ESCAPE.

No. 518,633.` Patented Apr. 24, 1894.

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UNrrEn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN JACOB STEUR, OF ALBANY, NEW YORK.

PORTABLE FIRE-ESCAPE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 518,633, dated April24, 1894.

Application led July 24, 1893. Serial No. 481.284. (No model.)

lo @ZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN JACOB STEUR, a citizen of the United States,residing at Albany, in the county of Albany and State of New York, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Portable Fire-Es capes;and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same. y

This invention has relation to improvements in .lire escapes, of theclass wherein the lazy tongs are employed for raising and lowering aplatform; and it consists in the novel construction, arrangement, andcombination of parts of which it is composed, all as will be hereinaftermore fully described and particularly pointed out in the appendedclaims.

The annexed drawings, to which reference is made, fully illustrate myinvention, in which- Figure l, represents a side view of my improvediire escape. Fig. 2, is a horizontal sectional view, showing the underside of the bridge. Fig. 3, is a vertical detail sectional view of theupper portion of the escape. Fig. 4, is a detail sectional view of thelower portion of the escape and Fig. 5, is a detail view of the rack 7aand pinion p.

Referring by letter to the accompanying drawings,A designates the reescape, composed of an upper platform a, and lower platform ZJ, which ismounted on transporting wheels c, c, whereby the lire escape can becarried from place to place. Interposed between the upper and lowerplatforms of. and b, are arranged two sets of lazy tongs; the lower endsof which are pivoted to the casting CZ, secured on the lower platform,while the upper ends of the lazy tongs are pivoted to brackets e,secured to the under side of the upper platform. Centrally arrangedbetween the upper and lower platforms is a bracing tube f composed ofsections, each section being smaller, in cross section, than the othersection, and telescope and the same provide means, whereby a hose may bepassed vertically through said tube from bottom to top thereof.Surrounding this tube and arranged between all the lazy tongs is aplatform g, which is secured at both ends h, h, tothe cross rounds t',z', of said lazy tongs, by casting j j, secured to the under side of theplatform g. On each side of the platform g, is secured two verticaltoothed bars 7c, 7c; the teeth of which engage or mesh with a pinion Z,Z; on a short shaft fm, having its journals in housings fn secured tothe sides of the lower platform. On this short shaft 'm is securedalarger pinion or gear wheel o, which latter revolves with the pinionsZ, Z, and meshes with a small pinion p, secured on the operating shaftq, also journaled in said housing. This latter shaft is also providedwith a toothed or ratcheted wheel u', which engages a pawl t' pivoted onthe face of said housing.

B, represents the operating or double cranked lever which is secured tothe end of the operating shaft q, and is turned in operating the deviceas hereinafter explained.

C, indicates a rescuing bridge designed to straddle the space betweenthe re escape when in position for use and the wall of a building. Thisbridge O, is composed of one or more sections, being three sections orparts, shown herein, said sections are lettered t, u, and fu, and thesame slide upon one another. The inner section is constructed withinwardly bent side flanges lw, for guiding the central section in itshorizontal movement back and forth, and the central section also has theguide flanges for guiding the outer section in its movement.

D, represents a lazy tong which is horizontally arranged beneath thebridge and aportion of the top platform. Theouter ends of these lazytongs are pivoted at to the under side of the forward portion of thebridge, while the opposite end fg, is pivoted at z, to the under side ofthe top platform. There is also secured to the under side of thisplatform two side guide strips c', which support and guide the innersection of the bridge.

Beneath the bridge is arranged a horizontal sliding skeleton frame ZJwhich has its bearing'in plates c secured to the under side of the topplatform. This frame Z9 has a sliding movement and is provided with aslot cZ in which the pivot e of the lazy-tongs D, has its play in itsouter and inner movement beneath the bridge. On one side or edge of thislatter fra-me is secured a toothed horizontal ICO barf which meshes witha pinion g', horizontally arranged on a vertical shaft h journaled inbearing or plates i', secured to the under side of the top platform.This shaft has a square upper end to receivea key j', by which saidshaft is revolved-or a crank handle may be employed for this purpose, ifdesired. At the outer or extended end of the bridge are two posts orstandards k',- to the upper end of which is pivoted the forward end Z',of each lazy tong m', m', the inner end fn', of which is pivoted to apost 0 on the upper face of the top platform. The top platform isprovided with guard rails p' secured to posts p2 leaving spaces q q forthe passage of persons using the escape.

The lower platform is provided with a winding stairs which may be usedby persons leaving the top platform when lowered, or the roundsconnecting the lazy tongsin pairs can be readily used as a ladder andpersons may descend from the top platform without the latter beinglowered.

Having thus described the different parts of which my re escape isconstructed, I will now proceed and explain its operation.

When it is desired to raise or elevate the' top platform for rescuingpersons from a burning building, the operator simply grasps the crankedlever B, and turns the same in one direction and through the medium ofthe pinions and gear and racks meshing therewith, the inner platform g,is raised a short distance, which latter acts upon the lazy tongs s',causing them to extend vertically and carry the top platform upwardly atthe same time the central tubular support is also extendedl with saidtop platform until the desired height is reached, when the pawl 11, willengage the ratchet u', and prevent the shaft from turning, thus holdingthe lazy tongs s', platform g, central bracing tube and the top platformin a rigid position, after which the bridge is projected or extendedtoward a building, by the operator turning the key and through themedium of the pinion g', and toothed barf, and lazy tongs D, cause thesections t, u, c, of the bridge to move and slide upon one anotherlaterally or in a direction from the top platform; the lazy tongs m', oneach side of the bridge being extended at the same time and forming sideguards or fence for sides of said bridge. Thus it will be seen that,persons may walk from window or door of a burning building upon thebridge and land safely upon the top platform and if desired may descendto the lower platform and ground by the rounds connecting the lazytongs, but when it is desired to lower the top platform, the bridge iswithdrawn by turning the key j in areverse direction, the pinion g',operating on the tooth bar f causes the skeleton frame, lazy tongs,bridge sections and guard rails or fence of said bridge to travelinwardly; the sections folding beneath the top platform and the lazytongs m', folding close to the rails of said top platform, after whichthe operator turns the double crank handle in a reverse direction, andthrough the medium of the pinions and toothed side bars lc, k, theplatform a, is caused to descend, thereby causing the lazy tongs, s',s', to act and bring down the top platform; the central tube telescopingat the same time, and said platform comes about on a level with the topstep of the winding stairs when the persons can readily walk from saidplatform, upon the stairs and down to the ground, and a re escape asherein described is easily and quickly thrown in and elevated toposition, and it is durable as well as inexpensive to manufacture.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination with thelower platform and duplex system of lazytongs the intermediate platform attached to said lazy tongs the sidetoothed bars the pinions meshing with the teeth of these bars, crankhandle and top platform all substantially as described.

2. The combination in a portable ire escape, of the sets of lazy tongspivoted at their lower ends to the lower platform and at their upperends to the under side of the top platform, the central tubularsectional brace connecting the lower and top platform and stairs mountedonthe lower platform; theintermediate platform pivoted to the lazytongs, toothed bars, pinions, hand lever and pawl engaging the ratchetwheel; the top platform provided with the railing and sectional bridgeand means for operating the bridge back and forth, all substantially asdescribed.

3. In a portable fire escape the combination of the lower,` top, andintermediate platforms, the toothed bars and pinions, ratchet wheel,pawl and crank handle, the tubular central sectional brace connectingthe top and bottom platforms to one another, the stairs arranged on thelower platform and the bridge composed of sections, each section slidingupon the other section and operated substantially as described.

4:. In a portable fire escape the combination with the lower, top andintermediate platforms and means as described for lowering and raisingthe top platform and the tubular sectional brace connecting the top andbottom platforms, of the bridge composed of sections each sectionsliding upon the other, the lazy tongs beneath this bridge and connectedat one end thereto and at the opposite end to the under side of the topplatform, the slid ing skeleton frame connected to the lazy tongs andleaving the side toothed bar, the pinion meshing with this bar and thekey engaging the shaft on which the pinion turns, and the lazy tongsforming arail or fence for each side of the bridge, all substantially asdescribed.

5. The within described improvement in portable fire escapes consistingof the lazytongs interposed between the upper and lower IOO IOS

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platforms and pivoted thereto, both top and serving the double purposeas a brace and a tube for the passage of re hose, the intermediateplatform connected to the lazy-tongs at each end, the toothed barssecured to each side or edge of this latterplatform, the pinionsengaging said teeth in said bars, ratchet `wheel on the shaft of one ofthese pinions,

pawl and double crank handle for operating the device, the `stairssecured on the lower platform and the bridge composed of horizontallysliding sections; the lazy ton gs for operating, these sections,skeleton frame arranged beneath the top platform and pivoted to thelazytongs and the tooth bar secured to the skeleton frame and the pinionand key for operating the bridge all substantially as described.

6. In a portable `tire escape a platform interposed between the top andbottom platforms thereof and pivoted to lazytongs at each end andsuitable gearing for operating said intermediate platforrmwhereby thetop platform is raised and lowered all substantially as described.

7. In a portable fire escape of the class herein-described, thecombination with the lazy tongs pivoted both at the top to the upperplatform and at the bottom to the lower platform or base, the centraltubular brace secured to the lower base or platform and at its upper endto the top platform, the intermediate platform, pivoted to the lazytongs, having the side toothed bars and pinions, ratchet wheel, pawl anddouble crank handle, the bridge composed of sectional pieces slidingupon one another and provided with the vside rails, lazy tongs, sidetoothed bar, pinion for operating this bar and key all substantially asdescribed. Y

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN .IACB STEUR.

Witnesses:

A. N. THOMPSON,

E. THOMPSON.

